The Short Service

Orlando Gibbons 1583-1625, with additional sacred works

Sunday 17 February 2002, 8pm

Gibbons was Organist at the Chapel Royal and Westminster Abbey. He was recognised as the leading choral composer and organist of his generation at a time when England dominated the musical landscape of Europe.

The celebration of faith evolved significantly in England after Henry VIII split from the Catholic Church in the 16th century. The services of mattins and evensong took pride of place over the mass. The music for these services became the compositional focal point of a generation of English sacred musicians. Gibbons' Short Service is a set of interlocking movements that provide polyphony for the main texts of the mattins and evensong services. The Short Service is a fine example of English choral writing of the early 17th century.

Programme

Anthem: Almighty and everlasting God

Te Deum, Benedictus, Magnificat, Nunc Dimittis: The Short Service
with hymns ("Songs of the Church") as set by Gibbons

Anthem: O Lord, in Thy Wrath rebuke me not

Interval

Verse anthem: Almighty God, who by Thy son
Verse anthem: This is the Record of John
Verse anthem: If ye be risen again with Christ

Anthem: Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord

Madrigal: The Silver Swan

Solo performers

Organ: Douglas MewsDouglas Mews plays the Drake Chamber Organ, part of the keyboard collection of the School of Music of Victoria University of Wellington.